North Long Beach senior housing to break ground after two-year delay

LONG BEACH - A senior housing development stalled for two years by the state's abolishment of redevelopment agencies will break ground in North Long Beach on Tuesday.

In January, the California Department of Finance released $12.4 million in bonds that the city had set aside for a developer loan to build the 61-unit Ramona Park Senior Apartments, according to Patrick Ure, housing operations officer with Long Beach Development Services.

The project was first approved in January 2010 and revised June 15, 2011, Ure said, but a signed agreement was not in place by June 30, 2011 - the cutoff for projects as the state began a drawdown of redevelopment agencies to plug holes in California's budget.

"Anything that did not have a signed agreement in place by that date fell into the situation where it was technically not an approved commitment," said Ure.

Relief was provided by AB1484, passed last June. The legislation altered the dissolution of redevelopment agencies and allowed cities like Long Beach to use its unspent housing bond proceeds.

The Ramona Park Senior Apartments will have 49 one-bedroom units, 11 two-bedroom units, a three-bedroom manager's unit, a courtyard, a pool, a spa, a fire pit, a picnic area, an exercise room, a community room, a classroom and recreation rooms.

Irvine-based Palm Communities will develop the $22.6 million project that will replace the Farmers and Merchants Bank at 3290 E. Artesia Blvd.

Ure said construction is expected to last 18 months, and the community will serve residents with incomes that are at 50 to 60 percent of the median level for the area, which for a one-person household was between $29,550 and $35,460 in 2012.